Spring 2004
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The Army plans to release a comprehensive strategy to focus and provide a shared vision for all of its environmental programs in April, according to an announcement by the Army's senior environmental official.

The strategy, titled "Sustain the Mission, Secure the Future," represents a "bold, new strategic approach" for the Army's relationship to the environment, said Raymond J. Fatz, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety and occupational health (see accompanying article, The Army's New Strategy for the Environment).

"This is a long-term commitment to radically change the way we design, build, buy, transport and otherwise perform our mission, as we transform our weapons systems, tactics and installations over the coming decades," Fatz said.

"It requires radical changes in almost all of the core business processes the Army performs today."

The new strategy will replace the Army's current "Environmental Strategy into the 21st Century" published in November 1992.

The strategy embraces the concept of sustainability as a business model for the Army. It seeks to move the Army environmental program beyond simply complying with current regulations to making investments in processes that help the Army accomplish mission, safeguard quality of life and protect human health and the environment. It builds on the lessons learned from sustainability pilot programs conducted at several Army installations: Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Carson, Colo. and Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Army began drafting its environmental strategy in November 2003 with the intent to publish the overarching mission, vision and principles in time for Earth Day, April 22.

From this overarching document, the Army plans to develop strategic "campaign plans" on a number of more specific issues. It will also bring under its umbrella other recently published strategy documents, such as the Army Environmental Cleanup Strategy and the Army Historic Preservation Campaign Plan, both published in 2003.

"We view this strategy as an ongoing process where we will build upon the good ideas from within the Army and from our partners and stakeholders outside our fence lines," said Fatz.

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